Along the ocean coastline, at defined times during the year, sea turtles nest and lay eggs on the shore. When the eggs hatch, the young sea turtles hopefully waddle towards the ocean, get caught up in the waves and are carried out to sea. A problem exists in that lights from the buildings along the shoreline sometimes distract the young sea turtles and these hatchlings waddle towards the building lights and away from the shoreline.
To solve this problem, government regulators have issued rules which require shoreline buildings to have a certain type of light (a set wavelength) during those times of year when the sea turtles are disturbed by the lights. This time period is called “sea turtle season” herein. Some building owners manually change the lights from “white light” to “amber light,” wherein amber is the regulated sea turtle light.
For government regulations regarding sea turtle lighting issues, please see, for example, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “Marine Turtles and Lights” at http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/sea-turtles/turtles-lights Aug. 22, 2013; the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973; Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (Fla. Stat. 379.2431); and “Endangered Species Act (ESA)”, by NOAA Fisheries, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa Aug. 22, 2013.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,369 discloses an outdoor light fixture for protecting sea turtles, which comprises a light for emitting wavelengths that are least visible to sea turtles but visible to humans which adequately illuminates outdoor human living spaces for safety without harming sea turtle nesting activity.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0013608 discloses a satellite located street light controller, which comprises a radio navigation satellite system (RNSS) receiver; a first electrical interface; and a lamp controller, wherein the first electrical interface is adapted to couple with a second electrical interface of a street light and the lamp controller is adapted to regulate a supply of power to a lamp of the street light via the first electrical interface based at least in part on information received by the RNSS receiver.
European Patent Publication No. EP 2567402A1 discloses a method of selecting appropriate lighting for protecting sea turtles, which comprises a low pressure mercury discharge lamp as the lighting control element provided with a phosphor layer as the at least one additional lighting control element and which encourages hatchlings to move toward sea following breakout.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,956 discloses a seasonal lighting to protect sea turtles, which comprises a low-voltage incandescent light source, and a red LED source that is visible to humans but that does not interfere with the normal nesting and hatching behavior of sea turtles and circuits includes program to selectively energize the latter source during turtle nesting season.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,401,231 discloses an outdoor lighting system for use in environmentally photo-sensitive areas, which comprises means for switching on or off the most desirable lights which would not inhibit adult female turtles from laying eggs along the sea coast and which also lures newly hatched turtles to safe areas.
European Patent Publication No. EP 2154953A1 discloses a light for guiding or herding aquatic animals, which comprises a light source used to herd and direct animals and the light source serves a physical barrier or enclosure (2) used to project light (3) which can be remotely controlled to lure or direct animals in an appropriate direction.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0109142 discloses a wireless control system for control of outdoor lighting.
European Patent Publication No. EP 2055151A1 discloses an illumination apparatus for emitting different types of light, which comprises one or more first light-emitting elements and one or more second light-emitting elements and a control system configured to control the operation of the one or more first and one or more second lightemitting elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,376 discloses a controller system for the emission and intensity of LEDs, which comprises light that in some ways reproduces incandescent or fluorescent lighting systems with higher efficiency and has a data/signal processor that controls the source controller and thus the light output of the visible-light source and may require an increase or decrease of intensity, or change of the parameters of output.
German Patent Publication No. DE 102007053138 discloses a controller connected to a sensor system for controlling outdoor lighting, which comprises power distribution device controlled by a controller and the controller is connected with the sensor system for surrounding detection over a uni-directional data exchange device.
European Patent Publication No. EP 1108223B9 discloses a method and an apparatus for broadcasting time of day from satellite to earth based satellite receivers, which comprises satellite positioning system (SPS) signals from an SPS receiver and which broadcasts information on time of day, approximate receiver location, and satellite positions.